Begonia plant named ‘YAMOON’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Begonia  named ‘YAMOON’, characterized by its large, single yellow flowers with broad ovate-shaped tepals, its spreading and upright habit, its numerous basal shoots, its vigorous growth habit and its ease of vegetative propagation.

Botanical classification: Begonia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘YAMOON’.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent applications filedfor cultivars derived from the same breeding program entitled BegoniaPlant Named ‘YABOS’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,093), Begonia Plant Named‘YABON’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,802), Begonia Plant Named ‘YASPED’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 22,412), and Begonia Plant Named ‘YADEV’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 21,852).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Begonia ‘YAMOON’ andwill be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘YAMOON’.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Congleton, Cheshire, U. K.The overall purpose of the breeding program established in 2003 is tomake selections of Begonia plants with compact plant habits suitable forcontainer use combined with superior flower performance and productivestock plants for propagation. ‘YAMOON’ was selected in the Inventor'sgreenhouse in July of 2008 as a single unique plant from amongst theseedlings derived from a cross made in winter of 2008 between twounnamed, proprietary plants of the Inventor as the parents.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished byvegetative terminal stem cuttings in Congleton, Cheshire, U. K. in Julyof 2008 by the Inventor. It has been determined that the characteristicsof this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar, which in combination distinguish‘YAMOON’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia.

-   -   1. ‘YAMOON’ exhibits large, single yellow flowers with broad        ovate-shaped tepals.    -   2. ‘YAMOON’ exhibits a spreading and upright habit.    -   3. ‘YAMOON’ readily produces numerous basal shoots.    -   4. ‘YAMOON’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit and performs well        under typical production practices; a trait that is unusual for        yellow flowered Begonia plants that are vegetatively propagated.

The male parent of ‘YAMOON’ differs from ‘YAMOON’ in having flowers thatare rose salmon in color with narrower tepals. The female patent of‘YAMOON’ differs from ‘YAMOON’ in having smaller flowers with tepalsthat are less broad and in being more freely branched. ‘YAMOON’ can becompared to cultivars from the same breeding program; ‘YABOS’, ‘YABON’,‘YASPED’, and ‘YADEV’. ‘YABOS’ differs from ‘YAMOON’ in having crimsoncolored flowers. ‘YABON’ differs from ‘YAMOON’ in having semi-doubleyellow flowers. ‘YASED’ differs from ‘YAMOON’ in having a more pendulousplant habit and in having dark red flowers. ‘YADEV’ differs from‘YAMOON’ in having red flowers and in having a less compact habit withlonger internodes on its branches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Begonia. The photographs weretaken near Oxford, U.K. of a 30-cm container planted with 3 plugs of‘YAMOON’ and grown for 3 months.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the habit of ‘YAMOON’ inbloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of flowers, flower buds, andleaves of ‘YAMOON’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a flower of‘YAMOON’. The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from thecolor values cited in the detailed botanical description, whichaccurately describe the colors of the new Begonia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of plants of the new cultivarapproximately 3 months in age as grown in 6-inch pots in an unheatedgreenhouse under ambient light in Liss, Hampshire, U. K. Seed pod andtuber data was taken on the same plants at 6 months of age. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General plant characteristics:    -   -   Plant type.—Deciduous tuberous perennial, grown primarily            for use in baskets, and containers.        -   Plant habit.—Spreading and upright, freely-branching.        -   Flowering period.—From March to November in frost free areas            with high light.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 30 cm in height and 16 cm            in width.        -   Cold hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 10.        -   Culture.—Grows in any commercial soil or growing media, 12            hours of light is needed and 20° C. for production in the            winter months.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fleshy to fibrous with tubers produced for            over-wintering.        -   Tubers.—Flattened, irregularly lobed, depressed in centre,            an average of 4 cm in length, 3.5 cm in height and 2.5 cm in            width (size varies with age of plants), surface is slightly            corky, N170B in color with corky patches 177B in color.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.        -   Propagation.—Vegetative terminal stem cuttings.        -   Time required for root initiation.—10 to 14 days at 22° C.        -   Time required for root development.—5 to 8 weeks to reach            commercial size.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem size.—Average of 13 cm in length and 4 mm in width with            lateral branches about 3 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Round, solid.        -   Stem color.—170C.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, lenticels absent.        -   Internode length.—Average of 2.8 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Branching from non-flowering nodes.        -   Branching angle at emergence.—About 45°.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate, strongly asymmetric with one side            narrowly ovate, the other narrowly cordate and wider.        -   Leaf division.—Entire.        -   Leaf base.—Cordate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color: upper surface; 143C, lower            surface; 143D.        -   Leaf margins.—Serrate with short bristles emerging from tips            of the teeth.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface and lower surface; sparsely            covered with simple pubescent translucent hairs.        -   Leaf color.—Upper surface; 137B suffused with N187A with a            narrow band of 143B around veins, lower surface; 137C            suffused with 184B with a narrow band of 143C around veins,            new leaves on upper and lower surfaces are slightly lighter            in color.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 9 cm in length and 3.2 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 14 per branch (3 month-old            plants).        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Petioles.—Average 1.5 cm in length and 2 mm in width,            pubescent with simple hairs, color is N167C.        -   Stipules.—Broadly triangular in shape, becoming dry and            papery, about 4 mm in length and 3 mm in width, 196D in            color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—2 to 3 flowered cyme produced in the            axils of the upper leaves, monoecious with terminal male            flowers developing before the 1 or 2 lateral female flowers.        -   Peduncles.—About 4.8 cm in length and 1.5 mm in diameter,            color; 170C flushed with 40B to 40C on exposed side.        -   Flower persistence.—Self-cleaning.        -   Flower type.—Single (male and female).        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower number.—Average of 10 per inflorescence, one            inflorescence per stem (3 month-old plants).        -   Flower aspect.—Facing horizontally, hanging.        -   Bracts.—2, very broad in shape, truncate apex, bristles on            margin, about 8 mm in length and 1.1 cm in width, color is            39C to 39B.-   Male flowers:    -   -   Pedicels.—About 2.4 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width, 170C            flushed with 40B to 40C in color on exposed side.        -   Flower buds.—Flattened broad ovate in shape, about 2.4 cm in            length and 1.9 cm in width, color is 2D shading becoming 2C            towards the base, and slightly flushed with 31D on exposed            side.        -   Flower size.—About 3.4 cm in length and average 4.5 cm in            width.        -   Tepals.—Outer tepals; 2 in number, ovate in shape, obtuse            apex, truncate base, average of 3.1 cm in length and 2.1 cm            in width, glabrous and smooth on outer and inner surface,            entire margin, color: outer surface; 13D, shading to 31D,            becoming 31C at the base, inner surface; apex 9D, shading to            9C at the base, becoming flushed with 31D, inner tepals; 2,            occasionally 3 in number, narrow elliptic in shape, obtuse            apex, cuneate base, 3.1 cm in length, 1.1 cm in width,            glabrous and smooth on outer and inner surface, entire            margin, color; outer surface 9D, shading to 9C at the base,            inner surface 9C, shading to 9B at the base.        -   Corolla form.—Flared, tepals are un-fused.        -   Stamens.—Connate below forming tube, numerous, approximately            40 in number, broad elliptic in shape, 1.6 cm in length, 2            mm in width, 12B in color.        -   Filaments.—3 mm in length, 0.5 mm in width, 12C in color.        -   Anthers.—Broad Elliptic in shape, 1 mm in length, <1 mm in            width, 17B in color.        -   Pollen.—Abundant in quantity, 14C in color.-   Female flowers:    -   -   Pedicels.—Average 1.9 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width,            color; 170C flushed with 40B to 40C on exposed side.        -   Flower buds.—Flattened ovoid in shape, about 2.2 cm in            length and 1.6 cm in width, 2D, shading to 2C, towards base            and slightly flushed with 31D on exposed side.        -   Flower size.—About 2.6 cm in length (excluding ovary) and            2.8 cm in width.        -   Tepals.—5 in number (3 inner and 2 outer), outer tepals;            ovate in shape, acute apex, truncate base, average of 2.6 cm            in length and 1.6 cm in width, glabrous and smooth on outer            and inner surface, entire margin, color: outer surface; 13D,            shading to 31D to 31C at the base, inner surface; 9D at apex            shading to 9C at the base, flushed with 31D, inner tepals;            narrowly obovate in shape, obtuse apex, cuneate base,            average of 2.2 cm in length and 1.1 cm in width, glabrous            and smooth on outer and inner surface surface, entire            margin, color; outer surface 9D, shading to 9C at base,            inner surface 9C shading to 9B at the base.        -   Corolla form.—Flared, tepals are un-fused.        -   Styles.—3 in number, cylindrical, connate at base for <1 mm,            about 2 mm in length and <1 mm in diameter, 9B in color.        -   Stigmas.—Bifid in shape, stigmatic surfaces twisted around            extensions of the style, lobes about 3 mm in length and <1            mm in diameter, 12A in color.        -   Ovaries.—Inferior, triangular in cross section with angles            unequally winged, about 9 mm in length and 7 mm in width            (excluding wings), color is 145A and becoming 150D at tips            of wings.        -   Seed.—Very numerous, ovoid in shape, about 172C in color,            <0.1 mm in length.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘YAMOON’ as hereinillustrated and described.